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Buffon Sets Serie A Record with 648th Appearance

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has notched up his 648th appearance in the Italian top flight. (AP)
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has notched up his 648th appearance in the Italian top flight. (AP)
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Buffon Sets Serie A Record with 648th Appearance

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has notched up his 648th appearance in the Italian top flight. (AP)
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has notched up his 648th appearance in the Italian top flight. (AP)

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon set an outright Serie A record on Saturday with his 648th appearance in Italy’s top flight.

The Turin derby game against Torino moved the 42-year-old Buffon one ahead of AC Milan great Paolo Maldini, who set the record in 2009. Buffon matched this record on Dec. 18 against Sampdoria.

It was Buffon’s 915th club match as a professional, extending his record for an Italian player.

The vast majority of those matches have come for Juventus. Buffon joined the Bianconeri in 2001 after starting his career with Parma and swiftly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

He was expected to retire at the end of the 2017-18 season but instead made a surprise move to Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the French league to add to his multiple titles. He caused even more of a stir when he rejoined Juventus the following year.

Buffon recently extended his contract for another season.

He could add to his impressive medal collection with a 10th Serie A title with Juventus, which has a four-point advantage at the top of the table.

Two other titles were stripped from the club due to the Calciopoli scandal. Also as punishment, Juventus was relegated to Serie B but Buffon stayed and helped it win the second division and bounce straight back up.

Buffon made 176 appearances for Italy — a European record — and was voted Serie A’s goalkeeper of the year 12 times.

He also won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 and the UEFA Cup with Parma in 1999.

One of the few trophies missing from Buffon’s glittering collection is the Champions League. He lost three finals in that competition with Juventus.

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Leverkusen vs. PSG Turns into Chaos After 5 Goals, Two Red Cards and Two Penalties in the First Half 

Football - UEFA Champions League - Bayer Leverkusen v Paris Saint-Germain - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - October 21, 2025 Bayer Leverkusen's Mark Flekken looks on after Paris St Germain's Willian Pacho scores their first goal. (Reuters)
Football - UEFA Champions League - Bayer Leverkusen v Paris Saint-Germain - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - October 21, 2025 Bayer Leverkusen's Mark Flekken looks on after Paris St Germain's Willian Pacho scores their first goal. (Reuters)
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Leverkusen vs. PSG Turns into Chaos After 5 Goals, Two Red Cards and Two Penalties in the First Half 

Football - UEFA Champions League - Bayer Leverkusen v Paris Saint-Germain - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - October 21, 2025 Bayer Leverkusen's Mark Flekken looks on after Paris St Germain's Willian Pacho scores their first goal. (Reuters)
Football - UEFA Champions League - Bayer Leverkusen v Paris Saint-Germain - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - October 21, 2025 Bayer Leverkusen's Mark Flekken looks on after Paris St Germain's Willian Pacho scores their first goal. (Reuters)

Five goals, two red cards and two penalties. The first half of Bayer Leverkusen vs. Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday was wild.

Defending champion PSG went on to win 7-2 to top the standings on goal difference, but it was a breathtaking first half at the BayArena that stood out.

Luis Enrique's was 4-1 up at halftime in Germany, with the action relentless from the moment William Pacho gave the visitors the lead with a seventh-minute header.

What followed was chaos, with both teams reduced to 10 men and Leverkusen awarded two penalties.

Alex Grimaldo failed to score with the first — hitting the post in the 25th.

Eight minutes later Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich was shown a straight red following a VAR review of his elbow on Desire Doue. But PSG then saw Illia Zabarnyi sent off for a foul on Christian Kofane, who was through on goal. Zabarnyi had also conceded the first penalty.

This time Leverkusen made the chance count, with Aleix Garcia converting.

If that handed the home team a lifeline, it didn't last long as PSG went into overdrive.

Desire Doue's snap shot in the box restored the French giant's lead in the 41st and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia lashed another into the top corner off the post in the 44th.

In the third minute of first half added time, Doue got his second with a low curling effort.

The action didn't let up after the break.

Within five minutes Nuno Mendes had extended PSG's lead, only for Garcia to score his second and the goal of the match with a long range shot into the top corner to give the home crowd something to cheer.

Notably, Garcia's celebrations were muted and it wasn't to be the start of a fightback, with substitute Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha completing the rout for PSG.

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Haaland Scores Again but Gonzalez Injured in Man City’s Win in Champions League 

Manchester's head coach Pep Guardiola (R) and striker Erling Haaland (L) react at the end of the UEFA Champions League match between Villarreal CF and Manchester City at the La Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
Manchester's head coach Pep Guardiola (R) and striker Erling Haaland (L) react at the end of the UEFA Champions League match between Villarreal CF and Manchester City at the La Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
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Haaland Scores Again but Gonzalez Injured in Man City’s Win in Champions League 

Manchester's head coach Pep Guardiola (R) and striker Erling Haaland (L) react at the end of the UEFA Champions League match between Villarreal CF and Manchester City at the La Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
Manchester's head coach Pep Guardiola (R) and striker Erling Haaland (L) react at the end of the UEFA Champions League match between Villarreal CF and Manchester City at the La Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain, 21 October 2025. (EPA)

Another goal for Erling Haaland. Another midfield injury for Pep Guardiola.

Some things never change for Manchester City.

A 2-0 away win over Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday proved to be bittersweet for Guardiola, who saw prolific striker Haaland score his 24th goal in 14 games for club and country this season.

The Norway international now has 53 goals in 51 career games in the Champions League and has scored in nine straight games for City in all competitions. Haaland has already said he is in the form of his life.

“He's impossible to defend,” City midfielder Rico Lewis said.

However, a second win in three matches in the competition's expanded league stage came at a cost, with holding midfielder Nico Gonzalez hobbling off with an apparent right knee injury early in the second half.

Gonzalez has been filling in for fellow Spaniard Rodri, who is currently sidelined by a hamstring injury after missing most of last season with ACL damage.

Mateo Kovacic came on as a substitute for Gonzalez in the 56th minute, having only recently returned from an Achilles injury that led to the Croatia midfielder being sidelined for the last five months.

Bernardo Silva also scored for City, whose unbeaten run in all competitions stretched to nine games.

Guardiola's team also ended a run of five away games without a win in the Champions League.

Next up is a trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, when Haaland will look to score for the seventh straight Premier League game.

Sports

Arteta Praise for Gyokeres as Arsenal Striker Ends Goal Drought 

Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal greets the fans during the UEFA Champions League league phase match between Arsenal FC and Atletico Madrid, in London, Britain, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal greets the fans during the UEFA Champions League league phase match between Arsenal FC and Atletico Madrid, in London, Britain, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
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Arteta Praise for Gyokeres as Arsenal Striker Ends Goal Drought 

Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal greets the fans during the UEFA Champions League league phase match between Arsenal FC and Atletico Madrid, in London, Britain, 21 October 2025. (EPA)
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal greets the fans during the UEFA Champions League league phase match between Arsenal FC and Atletico Madrid, in London, Britain, 21 October 2025. (EPA)

One of the few clouds hanging over Arsenal this season has been the lack of goals from the big-money center forward Viktor Gyokeres but he erased some doubts with a timely return to form by scoring twice in a 4-0 defeat of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Gyokeres, who Arsenal signed for 64 million pounds ($85.89 million) from Sporting, poached his side's third and fourth goals to end a nine-game streak without netting for club and country.

The Swede was all smiles as he was substituted late on and manager Mikel Arteta said the 27-year-old fully deserved the ovation he received from the Arsenal fans.

"I think he deserved it because everything that we were seeing in terms of what he was bringing to the team and how much he was helping the team in many areas, apart from scoring goals in the last few weeks," Arteta told reporters.

"There was no debate about that. It was about keeping that belief in himself, that emotional state that he can enjoy and play freely. I look at his teammates as well, in the picture and the video, they are all so happy for him."

His opening goal was a messy affair as his weak shot dribbled into the net via a deflection while his second came from yet another Arsenal set piece with Gabriel heading a corner into the path of the Sweden international.

"He makes us a much better team. I think we've become much more unpredictable. He's so physical, the way he presses the ball, holds the ball, that's phenomenal," Arteta said.

"He's scored two very different ones today, and hopefully he starts to get some momentum and a good run of goals."

Gyokeres now has five for the season, including three in the Premier League, and was clearly relieved to be back on target.

"(It's reward) for the team, but of course, me as well," he said of the win that maintained Arsenal's 100% start in the Champions League. "I do my best all the time, work hard and contribute with different stuff. It'll come sooner or later."